Yearly Archives: 2011

Maplestory Ends Summer of Chaos with Triumph Update

Maplestory Age of Triumph: The Age to End all Ages

 


MapleStory, the side-scrolling action MMORPG from Nexon, concludes the Chaos series of summer content updates this week with the Age of Triumph. Players who traverse Maple World on Global MapleStory servers can now experience new exclusive content, along with new quest lines and other new features. Be sure to check out this TRAILER for a first look at some of the new content!

 

 

A new adventure lies in the Age of Triumph, bringing players an entirely new story line called the Silent Crusade. This full length quest for players level 37-110 introduces a battle force that specializes in eliminating Master Monsters, a faction of enemies never before seen in MapleStory. Throughout their journey through the Silent Crusade, players can encounter NPCs that aid them along their quest, including one character that will grab the hearts of players seeking a new romance. The Silent Crusade is narrated through colorful, action-packed in-game cutscenes and through tandem battles with NPCs.

 

 

Beyond the hours of new gameplay included with the Silent Crusade, the Age of Triumph also introduces the Global MapleStory exclusive Capture the Flag mode, a new game type added to MapleStory’s Battle Mode. Two teams of three to six players each can now fight for their opponents’ flag, and the first team to capture the other team’s flag three times is declared the winner. Item drops, including speed-ups, power-ups, HP recoveries and more will aid players throughout the battle, along with additional points and medals for players who exhibit the actions of a true strategist.

 

 

Players can also check their inventory to find the Crusader Codex, an essential rolodex of the various monsters that roam Maple World. To complete their collection, players must collect Monster Cards by defeating enemies. When players fill the pages of their Codex with the Monster Cards, players will receive special prizes that reflect the completion of the book. Medals, ranging from Beginner Collector to Legendary Collector, will be awarded to players along with huge HP and MP power-ups.

Pandora Saga – Rise as a Nation

Pandora Saga Review: Rise as a Nation, Fight As One

By Bryan King (Bryan), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

 

Lore

In ancient times, a Great Empire once dominated the whole world under the rule of one King. The King was granted this power due to his possession of the ancient artifact known as Pandora. He was beloved for his infinite kindness and presided over a long age of peace and harmony. One fateful night, peace was shattered as the night sky was lit ablaze with large balls of fire showering down upon the earth, turning everything they touched into ash. Overnight, the once great empire was reduced to rubble and any trace of Pandora was lost with it.


The world suffered many centuries of endless warring since no one nation alone could dominate the other. However, an evil shaman named Brahm signed a contract with the devil and planned to start a war for his own desire to claim Pandora as his own.


You will take on the role of one such adventurer on a quest to regain your memories and discover the truth behind Pandora…


Character Customization

Upon entering the game, the player has many choices in terms of character customization. Pandora Saga’s first positive is the fact it does not lack in terms of player archetype customization, with players able to choose from one of six classes, four initial archetypes, and one of two racial skills for the race you choose. This gives a player an ideal playstyle from the beginning, so they have an idea where they’re going to end up in terms of gameplay down the road. The races include Humans, Elves, Myrine, Enkidu, Lapin, and Dwarves. The inclusion of 6 races made this game stand out from most MMOs that usually feature maybe 2-3 races.

 

 

Although we’ve seen Humans, Elves, and Dwarves before, the Myrine, Enkidu (pictured above), and Lapin all feel especially unique in racial skills and in physical appearance. If you’re looking for a game where your appearance is very unique from many games you’ve seen before, Pandora Saga excels in the variability of character races.

 

Core Gameplay

Pandora Saga’s main gameplay quests aren’t anything too extraordinary. The game begins with an introduction to many (almost too many) of the game’s basic features, giving you a guided tour of the first ten levels of the game. A welcome feature behind this introduction was that it was all somewhat cinematic, with the game using interactive cut scenes for the player to get a feel for the game.

 

 

Combat in Pandora Saga is actually quite tactical. As an assassin, I noticed bonuses for being behind and to the side of an enemy, and my cool downs were long enough for me to utilize certain skills instead of others, fearing that I would end up breaking a nice damage combo if I messed up. Using your manual auto-attack is kind of like a frontal cone AoE, with the length of your weapon extending past a single target to other targets that are very close to your weapon’s reach. When I was in a party, I noticed many tanks utilizing this to their advantage and being able to aggro multiple targets in order for us to get quest objectives done quickly.

 

Pandora Saga uses an “abilities” system along with the timeless stats system. With abilities, players can spend and earn points in specific abilities to make their player stronger. For example, melee characters can upgrade their proficiency in Slashing, Thrusting, Cleaving, Bashing, and Defending, thus, increasing the skill parallel to that ability’s function. This adds another somewhat tactical element to character growth, allowing players to fine tune their character’s functions.

 

 

At level 20, players can choose one of two subclasses for their archetype, and at level 45, you can choose another from one of another two based on your 2nd job choice. This class selection is very well implemented, as many F2P games suffer from a lack of job choices. Allowing two second job choices and four third job choices for each class allows for a great deal of variety for players to enjoy. The only problem that lurks behind this is the fact that Pandora Saga’s leveling is simply bland and uninspired. Kill this, kill that, talk to this NPC, and talk to that. Yes, this is the case for many MMOs these days, but paired with the game’s dated graphics (we’ll get to that later) and emphasis on low EXP rates, it’s no wonder why many people are turned off by the game.

 

In terms of gameplay, Pandora Saga has much variation in character play style, and the combat has some highlights, however, in comparison to the barrage of action MMOs becoming available on the market, the lasting appeal simply isn’t there for the game.

 

PvP

Pandora Saga’s main selling point is the RvR. At any time in the game, players can choose from one of three nations: The Kingdom of St. Pfelstein, the Latugan Empire, or the Varik Confederation. Players are able to sign up for a daily war, and the game uses an objective based RvR map that awards players points, honor, and other currencies in order to tally up a total and award bonuses to the winning nation such as Drop Bonuses, PvP Point Bonuses, and EXP Bonuses.

 

This system is actually pretty unique and fun, as players can earn ranks and gain different reputation bonuses with NPCs, as well as rare capes and other various items to show off to the community. This is a great addition to the game, and the massive battlefields are a great way for PvP-warmongers like myself to show what they’ve got. Sadly, the population of the game isn’t quite capable of filling the wars to capacity, but it’s still full of potential, especially with a population boost.

 

 

Graphics

Pandora Saga’s weakest point lies in the antiquated graphics that it has. Originally developed by RossoIndex years ago, Pandora Saga is still stuck in the past in the graphics department. The textures seem bland, character designs are not up to par by today’s standards, and skill effects seem moot. The only upside to this seems to be the fact that it can run on virtually any computer, but gamers who are interested in graphics won’t be wowed here.

 

The Final Verdict…

Pandora Saga is a game for players who put gameplay over any polish or graphics, for sure. The game has many features that are hard to find, yet lacks overall polish that would make the game absolutely fantastic in another world. However, if you’re one for massive scale RvR, give this game a try and you won’t be disappointed. If you’re looking for a groundbreaking modern MMO with graphics that will blow you away, don’t look here.

 

 

Gameplay – 4/5

Graphics – 2/5

Customization – 4/5

League of Legends PAX Prime Cosplay Contest

Heading to PAX Prime? Love League of Legends? Time to cosplay!

 

 

On Sunday, August 28 2011, Riot Games will be hosting a costume contest showcasing those fans who have dressed up in any League of Legends-inspired cosplay. So buckle on your armor, practice your best pose and prepare to battle at the Riot Games Booth on the fields of PAX Prime!

 

Signups will open at 1PM Pacific Time, with the actual event taking place between the hours of 2PM – 3PM. Riot will take your picture and introduce you to the crowd, so make sure you’re dressed to impress! The crowd will select three winners by applauding their favorite costumes!

 

 

WHAT: Costume Contest!

WHERE: PAX Prime Riot Games booth #3433

WHEN: Day 3 – Sunday, the 28th of August, 2011 from 2PM – 3PM Pacific Time. Signups open at 1PM.

WHY: Summoners who arrive in costume will receive a code redeemable for the now limited edition Riot Squad Singed skin, which is being retired to make room for a brand new face on the Riot squad. This will be your last chance to add Riot Squad Singed to your collection.

 

 

You could also win a fantastic prize! The top three costumes will receive…

1st Place Winner – 7200RP

2nd Place Winner – 5000RP

3rd Place Winner – 2800RP

 

 

Also be sure to keep a look out for DizzyPW, likely wearing one of his ridiculous hats, and you can get your picture featured at OnRPG as well!

Dragon Nest OB Extended – Minotaur Nest Released

Dragon Nest Open Beta Test Extended – Minotaur Nest Released

 



Nexon America is extending the open beta test of Dragon Nest, and is also adding two major new features to the game today. The game’s cash shop, dubbed the Dragon Vault, is now fully functional, meaning players are able to make purchases with all major payment options. Nexon has also added an exclusive dungeon encounter for high level players, the Minotaur’s Nest. With the addition of these two new features, the action-packed MMORPG is a couple steps closer to a full official launch. Since open beta began, players have filled game servers to capacity while providing Nexon and developer Eyedentity Games invaluable feedback that will help improve the gameplay experience.

 

Dragon Nest combines fast-paced action with an engaging story and distinct art style, and is available for free from Nexon America for residents of the United States, Canada and Oceania. Dragon Nest follows the story of a band of adventurers as they battle the corrupt dragons and their followers in order to save Verathea, the once pure and beautiful world created by the goddess Althea.

 

 

Dragon Nest has been in open beta testing since July 26, and during this period players have flocked to the game to experience its distinct mix of action, adventure and social features. During the first two weeks of the open beta test, Nexon awarded players with dragon Scales, a free promotional currency that could be used to purchase items from the Dragon Vault. So far, players have redeemed the equivalent of more than $1.6 million (USD) of this in-game special event currency for convenience items and cosmetic upgrades. These items will remain with players even after the game officially launches, and this is just one way for Nexon to thank the fans for helping improve the game.

 

“The response from players to the open beta test has been overwhelmingly positive. We want to make Dragon Nest as enjoyable as possible, so we’re extending the open beta period to continue to test the game’s features and listen to player feedback,” said Davy Garaix, Dragon Nest producer at Nexon America. “Players love the game’s combat system, the colorful art style and all of the social features, and there is still more to come when we launch, such as PVP combat.”

 

 

Dragon Nest’s open beta test will roll directly into launch, which means players will retain all of the characters, items and other enhancements they’ve made since the beginning of OBT.

 

With today’s launch of the Dragon Vault, a wide variety of cosmetic and convenience items are now available for players to purchase, including: Adventurer’s Bags, Scrolls of Unlearning and a wide assortment of costume items. The Adventurer’s Bag expands a player’s inventory space, and the Scroll of Unlearning allows players to redesign their skill trees by resetting skill points. The costume packages are yet another way for characters to differentiate their avatar from the crowd. Additionally, seasoned players can now test their mettle in the Minotaur’s Nest encounter, a challenging boss fight that promises enviable rewards for the brave adventures that can defeat the mighty Minotaur. Check out this NEW TRAILER of the grand Minotaur in action.

Troy Oline OB Test Begins Tomorrow – New Graphics Engine

Troy Online Open Beta Begins Tomorrow – New Graphics Engine Implemented

 


 

ALT1 Games officially announced the schedule for their Troy Online open beta test and official service. The open beta test will start at 11am PST on August 11th and end at 10pm PST on August 18th. The commercial release will begin at 11am PST on August 19th. Both USA-based and European Servers will be available during this test

 

Numerous new updates will be released during the open beta test, as well as a number of events both ingame and on partner websites like our Alt1 coin giveaway. For the open beta test, ALT1 Games has introduced a new graphics engine to pump up the visual effects and character models of the characters, a much needed change requested by the player base.

 

 

 

European players and North American players alike can rejoice that a solution has been found to the constant lagging. The strong point of the game was that the battle system allowed more than a hundred users to fight at once, but the bad ping rate created by these international servers made this near impossible to enjoy. The lag issues should slow down if not cease entirely with the implementation of a European server.

 

ALT1 Games has also announced that they will continue to update the game to reduce further lagging issues and place servers in other territories in accordance with user distribution.

 

A new client has been placed on the site for open beta. All returning closed beta testers should be sure to download this new client or you won’t be able to play!

Aika Epic II: Exodus Now Live

Aika Epic II: Exodus is Now Live

 

 

The newest chapter in Aika Online’s mighty epic has arrived! Epic II: Exodus introduces vast zones, legendary bosses, and impressive items. With the old world crumbling behind them, the people of Aika must flee to the island of Traband. But the Dark Legion has stormed the frozen glaciers and whipped the local tribes into a frenzy against the colonists. The mighty Aitan warriors will receive a level cap increase to 75 and powerful new skills to overcome the wild mobs, but will Aika’s divided nations be able to withstand the looming evil?

 

 

Maybe not. Though once united in their exodus, the nations have turned on each other to fight for control of Traband’s icy plains. Aika’s renowned 1000 vs. 1000 PvP system now invites players to join their allies in the brand new Tower Wars. The nation that seizes control of all three mystic towers gains access to an additional area and secures immunity from the pervasive debuffs that cripple the land.

 

Those Aitan warriors who choose to band together must search through Traband’s barren tundra for Lycan’s Cave. Home to the most dreaded monsters, Aika’s newest dungeon features a labyrinth of challenges – and choices! Different bosses wait at the end of each path, and every group will emerge with a different story of their plunge into the frozen depths.

 

 

Heroes preparing themselves for these threats can take advantage of the multitude of new items now available. Gear up with new hew high rank armor and weapons or acquire rare equipment from three new tiers of honor gear. Players level 10 and up now have access to six new premium mounts, and those at the highest levels can take their pick of six new quest mounts. To supplement players as they brace for combat, Aika has also implemented a practical new ranking system. Track relics in real time, but more importantly, track your nemesis with daily, weekly, and monthly rankings!

 

Tired of pressing Alt-Tab to access other windows? Players can now access the internet with the new Overwolf in-game overlay instead. Browse the web, chat with friends, and record spectacular battles all while inside Aika!

 

Everything here screams innovation and we can’t wait to hop into game again and see these new features in action.

Sword 2 Revelations – A Whole New World

Sword 2: Revelations – A Whole New World

By Remko Molenaar (Proxzor), OnRPG Journalist

 


Some if you might have heard of this game before. This game was formerly known as Granado Espada: Sword of the New World. Sword 2: Granado Espada was developed by imcGAMES. Sword 2 has won the Best Graphics award and also Presidential Award for Game of the Year. GamersFirst brings this amazing game to the West with many game enhancements. Set on a mysterious, dangerous continent with a story inspired by Europe’s exploration and conquest of America, Sword 2 is destined to dominate the world of MMORPGs by virtue of its groundbreaking design features, fast-paced gameplay and amazing graphics.

 

Recently Granado Espada: Sword of the New World changed its name to Sword 2: Revelations and provided quite a few much needed features such as a more in-depth crafting system , the Viron Island Area, a new unique playable character, and the ability to have a pet.

 

 

Gameplay

Sword 2 has a unique feature that lets you multi-character control up to 3 characters at a time. When you start creating your ‘family’ you are allowed to make different characters consisting of the following classes: Fighter, Scout, Wizard, Musketeer and Elementalist. With so many possible combinations it was rare that I felt like a copy of someone else’s family. As you go about your journey, you can unlock new playable characters to increase the diversity of your family. These characters are specialized in different statistics and skills, in order to unlock these characters you have to find them in the game and do the available quests to get the NPC into your team. All characters are assumed to be from the same family and share the same surname. This surname is used to identify a player in the game. Every character I tested brought a unique and enjoyable skill set that made for some very strategic party setups. Though when having fun swapping in multiple characters, remember that each character levels independently so you might have to do some basic grinding to level up a character if you want to utilize them in end game content.

 

When you have created your desired team and have advanced a few levels you notice the skills you have gotten are all on different keys on your keyboard. No matter which one of your 3 characters you have selected to lead, you can all use their skills when you want to. This makes battles feel akin to playing the piano and put my worries to rest that I would have to play 3 MMO characters at once.

 

I Set This Up for Nothing…

 

If you don’t feel like doing normal quests in Sword 2: Revelations you can also visit various dungeons. These dungeons are generally composed of three to five floors with increasingly more difficult challenges to block your progression. In these dungeons there are boxes and barrels that act as monster spawn portals. These items make going AFK nearly impossible as they trigger wave after wave of monsters until destroyed. To keep you guessing, these monster generators are placed randomly on the map each time you enter, so you will be forced to explore a bit to find the source of your foes. In these dungeons there are waypoints or (player chosen) save locations. I found these very convenient since you can warp to a set part of the map with a ward scroll rather than fighting through the entire dungeon in one go. Five locations may be saved initially. And up to five more locations can be purchased from the Bazaar.

 

 

It is possible to command your characters to do various things. You can choose to do this in a team or separate with the selected character. It is possible to choose from the following commands:

 

Team Summon (F4): The team members are called to the team leader.

 

Assault Mode (CTRL+Click): Attack all the enemies on the route to the point you have clicked.


Harvest mode (CTRL+SHIFT+Click): Pick up items while moving to the designated point.

 

Hold Mode (CTRL+H): Characters stop moving and attack approaching monsters.

 

Defend Mode (CTRL+E and space): Automatically engage enemies in battle.

 

 

When you have accepted a quest it is possible to look at the location in the Quest info tab (ALT+A). There you can see the location of the target you are looking for. In this quest menu map as well as the standard zone map, you are able to move to a target location simply by clicking it. The zone map is very detailed, informing you of available quests, npc locations, and what shops you have access to.

 

 

In Sword 2 you can also test yourself against other players for one of the greatest challenges in the new world. The limited PvP action I had was enjoyable and all the industry standard types were available. These are the different forms of PvP included: Family vs Family dueling, Clan Wars, Faction vs Faction, Arena Play and GM Tournaments.

 

Graphics

For a game that is released in 2006, Sword 2 has wonderful graphics. The game is really detailed and the textures are really nice to look at. The game is also well programmed resulting in lower system requirements than one would expect for such a gorgeous game. You should at least have a Pentium 3 processor with 512 MB RAM and a Directx 9.0c supporting Graphics Card. Anyone without these specs probably has an ancient computer, likely made of wood and powered by a hamster. For the rest of us, we can enjoy this beautiful game to our heart’s content!

 

 

Crafting

Many items can be crafted in Sword 2, from refined materials to gems to equipment. Equipment can be upgraded through various means. This upgrading system is the standard MMO process involving increasing the number of slots and imbuing gems to given bonus statistics. Once you progress to above level 30 you can begin dabbling in gear enchantments as well. This gives you the option to customize and enhance your gear further without wasting precious slots. With the Revelations expansion, Alchemy, Cooking and Wing Crafting were added into the game to give craftsman even more toys to play with.

 

Cash Shop

GamersFirst calls their cash shop the Bazaar. The items for sale include the expected experience and drop chance bonuses. Also available are passes that allow you to access more challenging regions of the world faster than non-paying players are able to. I didn’t find too many items though that would give players a flat strength bonus over their enemies, which is always a good sign.

 

Conclusion

Sword 2: Revelations is a fun game that thrives on its unique 3 character class system. It truly makes this game much more challenging than most MMOs and adds an unbelievable amount of fun factor to the genre. Combined with its beautiful graphics I really had few negatives to say about this game. If I have to quip about something it is various new regions haven’t been translated yet and quests will still be in Korean. I hope GamersFirst pushes to get this fixed as soon as possible because it seems like an easily patchable error in an otherwise flawless game.

Brawl Busters Kicks Off into Closed Beta!

Brawl Busters Kicks Off Into Closed Beta Today!

 

Rock Hippo Productions announced today that its online multiplayer action game, Brawl Busters has entered Closed Beta testing. The first set of beta keys have already been delivered to lucky registrants who were selected after signing up on the game’s website. For the rest of you, OnRPG has a very limited number of keys so GET THEM while you can.

To reward the most loyal and enthusiastic players,  every Brawl Busters Closed Beta  player will receive the “Original Buster” title which will guarantee them exclusive items, perks and other benefits starting with the Open Beta and onward.

 

“We’re excited to now be at a point where we are ready to have the community come in and play-test the game and give some early feedback on a game they have been so anxious to play,” said Howard He, President & CEO of Rock Hippo Productions.  “We look forward to the comments and suggestions so we can fine-tune the Brawl Busters experience and make it the best online gaming experience yet.”